1. Field
The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus with two housings including an optical data communication coupling. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to an optical data communication coupling for use in a phone having two housings, which rotate relative to one another.
2. Introduction
Presently, portable electronic devices, such as cell phones, personal digital assistants, selective call receivers and the like, often involve many form factors, many of which include two housings that move relative to each other. For example, in a flip phone, a cover housing can include a speaker that pivots about a base housing that can include a display, a keypad, and/or a microphone. More complex portable electronic devices can also include a display and buttons on a flip cover housing that pivots on a hinge with respect to a base housing. Such portable electronic devices are increasingly equipped with additional features, such as higher resolution cameras, larger and more displays, fingerprint sensors, and other desirable features.
Each additional feature added to a portable electronic device can increase the amount of data and correspondingly the number of data lines required to adequately convey information between the cover housing and the base housing to facilitate data communications between the components associated with each of the housings. These data lines have typically been routed via a complex multi-layer flex system. A typical flex design is a 6-8 layer flex containing many copper traces, sometimes in excess of 60, grouped closely together in order to pass through a limited hinge space between housings. Such flex circuits can be expensive and can sometimes pose radio frequency and mechanical challenges.
Rotator phones pose additional unique challenges beyond those of flip phones. In a rotator phone, a cover housing rotates relative to a base housing about an axis of rotation that is perpendicular with respect to the front facing of a base housing. In such a rotator phone, the desired motion between the base and the cover housings allows for uninterrupted 180 degree rotation and sometimes even allows for full 360 degree rotation. Unfortunately, full uninterrupted rotation can be difficult with current physical electrical data connections. Therefore, when a rotator phone is rotated, data connections and communications in many prior implementations are interrupted. Furthermore, rotator phones are unable to provide sufficient data lines for additional features on the cover housing. Accordingly, additional desirable features can be difficult to fully support in electronic devices with rotating housings.
Thus, there is a need for uninterrupted data communication during the full rotation of a rotator phone. There is a further need for additional data communication capabilities including the number of signal connections supported and the amount of data throughput a particular signal connection can support between a cover and a base housing in a portable electronic device having two housings that rotate with respect to each other.